Architect and philosopher, Jean Nouvel explains why architecture is, above all, a human act - Lifestyle

“Architecture is answering a question that is never asked. It is, first of all, the answer to concrete, social and individual questions. The construction of new homes, offices, public spaces because the current ones are no longer adequate to the new economic scenarios and population growth. Architecture, above all, is different from construction because it is not a short-term investment, but an asset to be enjoyed for decades. That creates spaces to live, human spaces. For me, style is not important, while instead the questions that every era poses to architecture are fundamental: the cultural, economic and social variations that accompany man. Because

". Word of

is the

as well as the fifth protagonist of the 10x10x10 publishing project that sees 10 internationally renowned architects, for 10 issues each and a total of 10 years, taking turns at the helm of the newspaper until the admirable milestone of one hundred years of life. From Michele De Lucchi's Italy (2018) to Tadao Ando's Japan (2021), passing through Winy Maas's Holland (2019) and David Chipperfield's United Kingdom (2020), the Domus baton returns this year in Europe and arrives in France where Jean Nouvel was born and still lives today. And where he was able to build the foundations of his almost fifty-year career, also crowned by a Pritzker prize (as for his predecessor Ando).

Always a convinced supporter of the fact that the architect must first of all elaborate a diagnosis and absorb parameters extraneous to his discipline, understood in the strict sense, Jean Nouvel wants to make Domus 2022 a hymn to architecture with character: "The invention begins from the character, from the importance of saying NO ”says

 , 76 years old. 

"Making architecture is giving character. Yet, the distinctive trait of most of the architectures of this turn of the century is not having character, being interchangeable. We have entered the era of automatic architecture. The zoning plans are designed to advance as quickly as possible. possible, to buy time for designers who no longer create anything, to please entrepreneurs who always want to do the same things and mediators who earn without risking "he writes in his first editorial." What would a knowledge of the world be that ignores the sensible? What would reason be without its poetic contestation? What would truth be discovered from only one angle? Ignorant knowledge. An unreasonable reason. An amputated truth. And in each of these cases the oblivion of the imagination.Giving character is first of all a problem of awareness: awareness of the importance of stating where you are. The invention starts from the character, from the importance of saying NO. Characterizing is giving proof of one's awareness of the place, thus reinforcing the character of the place, that is, belonging to it. Town plans are dehumanization projects independent of the character of the place, while they should be linked to a specific architectural and humanistic vision, with this conscientious awareness of conceiving tailor-made solutions. We should always keep in mind the question: spirit, are you there? " reads his manifesto of intent.Characterizing is giving proof of one's awareness of the place, thus reinforcing the character of the place, that is, belonging to it. Town plans are dehumanization projects independent of the character of the place, while they should be linked to a specific architectural and humanistic vision, with this conscientious awareness of conceiving tailor-made solutions. We should always keep in mind the question: spirit, are you there? " reads his manifesto of intent.Characterizing is giving proof of one's awareness of the place, thus reinforcing the character of the place, that is, belonging to it. Town plans are dehumanization projects independent of the character of the place, while they should be linked to a specific architectural and humanistic vision, with this conscientious awareness of conceiving tailor-made solutions. We should always keep in mind the question: spirit, are you there? " reads his manifesto of intent.We should always keep in mind the question: spirit, are you there? " reads his manifesto of intent.We should always keep in mind the question: spirit, are you there? " reads his manifesto of intent.

For the first issue edited by him - with an unpublished tribute to Sert and Mirò - the architect has chosen to bring a provocative and current question on the cover: In 2022 we can accept: the denial of the character of places and eras? denial of the invention of new arts and pleasures of life? denial of the social role of artist-poets and their visions? Emphasizing the

The work of the new guest editor will be accompanied and coordinated by Walter Mariotti editorial director of the entire Domus system, at the helm of the editorial team since 2017, as well as responsible for the continuity of the 10x10x10 project which declares: "With Nouvel's work, you enter the sancta sanctorum of contemporary architecture, accessing the opportunity to see how the individual's original emotions, his profound intuitions, his aspiration for justice and uniqueness remain the only resistance against the standardization of existences and tastes, defining a vision that through architecture outlines a society that without renouncing capitalism questions it in order to improve it, to make it fairer, to keep sentiment and humanity at the center ".